PBSO gives tips on how to spot a grow house in your neighborhood

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, a marijuana grow house can sprout up in any neighborhood. In fact, PBSO dismantled 62 grow houses in Palm Beach County in 2011.

PBSO and the Palm Beach County Substance Awareness Coalition has joined forces to educate the western communities on grow house and the effects they can have on neighborhoods.

From the beginning, a grow house can have a negative impact on the community, said agent Edward Hunter with PBSO's Narcotics Division.

"Often they begin with fraudulent mortgages," he said, adding that grow houses can vary in size from a couple plants in one room to thousands of plants in a barn or warehouse.

Often the growers will go to great lengths to make the property look lived in.

"They sometimes have people living in the home," he said. "Or they will stage the yard with toys."

Throughout his presentation Hunter explained the effects that grow houses have on communities and the county. Often the owners of grow houses will make a number of modifications to the houses.

According to PBSO, grow houses can steal an average of $30,000 of electricity per year because they require large amounts of energy and water.

"They often use contractors to connect wiring illegally to power sources," he said. "This can create fire hazards."

The operators of grow houses will also modify drain systems creating mold in the homes and polluting ground water. For homeowners who are renting out the properties these modifications can come with a high price tag to repair.

Grow houses also affect property values.

"Once a grow cycle is done the operators will often leave the property damaged and foreclosed on," Hunter said. "Operators also look for property owners who do not live in the area and don't visit properties often. The costs of repairs also leave these properties empty. [They] bring down property values."